Always and Forever
by twilightwriter09
Summary: Bella returns to Seattle after 15 years of living in Phoenix. She is reunited with her best childhood friend, Alice Cullen but what will happen when she sees Alice's brother who made her childhood miserable? Can Edward make up for the past and win Bella?


Wow, ok so this is my first ever story. I'm really nervous about posting this because it hasn't been beta'ed so I'd love to have some feedback on the grammar. If anyone would like to offer to beta for me, please let me know!!

I hope you enjoy it. I have been working on this story for a few months and am quite a few chapters in so I will be updating quite fast to get the story out to you all very quickly!

Hope you like it.

Chapter 1 – You Look Familiar….

BPOV

I stepped off the plane into the terminal and breathed in the cool Seattle air. I had missed Seattle. True, I hadn't spent a lot of time here but the weekend trips when I was a child were some of my favourite memories. I had grown up in Forks. A small town in Washington state where it is always overcast and almost always raining, it was a drastic change for me when at 12 years of age my parents divorced and I was forced to move to Phoenix with my mom, Renee. I had missed Forks and my Dad Charlie, but I soon made friends in Phoenix and learned to love the heat and the sun. Now, 15 years later I was moving back to Seattle. This was a good thing…..really…..I think.

I walked through the airport looking for Charlie. He had promised to meet me at the terminal and take me to my hotel but I couldn't see him anywhere. I turned on my cell phone and saw 2 missed calls; one from Renee, probably checking how my flight was, and one from Charlie. I pressed the call button and listened to his message.

"_Hey Bells, I got a bit held up at work and am not gonna make it to the airport in time to meet you. Sorry love, but you know how it is when you're the chief of police. Anyway I have sent a friend to come get you, you remember Jacob right? Billy Black's son, you used to be friends. Anyway he should be there soon. I'll drive up to Seattle as soon as I can get away from here and maybe we can have dinner? Sorry again Bells, give me a call when you get in so I know you are safe. Oh...and um…I'm really glad to be having you close to home now. Bye."_

Jacob? Great. I did remember him. Jacob was Charlie's best friend's son. He was a year younger than me and used to follow me around like a little puppy. I didn't need Jacob to pick me up. If Charlie couldn't make it, I would just get a taxi to the hotel. I dialled Charlie's number and waited for him to answer…

"Hello, Forks Police Station, Marjorie speaking. How may I direct your call?"

"Charlie Swan, please," I said.

"And who should I tell Chief Swan is calling?" Marjorie said in a bored tone.

"Bella Swan"

"……Bella? As in Isabella?" Marjorie's tone had changed. It now sounded excited, almost like I was her daughter that she hadn't seen in ages. "I'll put you straight through love."

"Swan here," Dad even sounded bored too.

"Dad, it's Bella."

"Bella! You made it safe. Sorry I couldn't make it out kiddo. Another 30 minutes and I should be able to leave here. That'll get me into Seattle at about 5pm. You good for dinner?"

"Yes Ch…Dad that's fine. Look can you tell Jacob not to worry about getting me I can take a ….." I trailed off as I saw Jacob with a HUGE smile heading straight for me. "Oh never mind, here he is. I better go Dad, but I'll see you tonight."

"Right, see ya kiddo." Even though I was 27, he still called me kiddo.

The line went dead. I took a large breathe and put on a big smile that I'm sure didn't make it to my eyes and turned to face Jacob.

"BELLA!!!" Before I knew it I was in a large bear hug. "It's so good to see you."

"Yeah, you too," I managed to squeeze out before I ran out of air. Jacob released me and looked me up and down.

"You grew up good."

_Oh how nice. He's staring at my breasts. Not that I had that much to stare at. Maybe the girls in La Push were all flat chested and my C-Cup was mesmerising to him. Wait is he still talking??_

"…..get your bags and be on our way. Which hotel are you staying at again?" he wiggled his eye brows at me.

_Seriously? An eye brow wiggle? Hmmmm, do I really want to be alone with him in a hotel room for the next few hours?? NO!_

"Actually, Jacob..."

He cut me off, "Jake."

I smiled to be polite.

"Actually, Jake, I am starving. Do you think we could leave my bags in your car and grab some food?"

"Sure, sounds great."

He was a little bit too excited about this idea for my liking. None the less it was a better option than being alone in a hotel room with him.

I collected my bags off the carousel and turned to see a puzzled look on his face.

"Is this it?" he asked, staring at my 2 small bags.

I had made the decision that a new life in a new city meant new things. I had only brought things with me that were essential to get me through until I could find an apartment and do some shopping.

_Egh, shopping._

I hated shopping. Every girl I have ever told this to thought I was crazy but I can't help it. I'm a very practical person and I hate wandering aimlessly around a shop. I'm more of a get in, get what I need and get home kind of girl. Still I was a little excited about setting up a place that was all mine; even if that meant some shopping.

"Yes I'm starting fresh. This is all I need for now."

"Umm, ok well let's get out of here." Jacob started to walk away but turned back to look at me with a big grin. "You know, I think I'm going to like having you so close to home. I really missed you."

I didn't know what to say. Obviously, the polite thing to say would be that I had missed him too, but this wasn't the case. In fact, in the 15 years since I had left Forks, I hadn't really thought about Jacob at all. He had always just been an annoyance. The only person who I did miss from Forks, was my best friend from grade school. Alice Cullen.

Alice and I met in kindergarten. I had fallen off the monkey bars, which was not an uncommon thing to happen to me. As a child I was notoriously clumsy. I had more scrapes and tumbles than any other child I have ever known. Unfortunately, this was a trait that I had brought into my adult hood. And now at 27 years old, I was known by name at the Emergency Room at 3 hospitals in Phoenix. I suppose I'll have to make friends with the people at the ER rooms here in Seattle too. I smiled to myself.

Jake must have taken my smile as affection for his comment about him missing me because he seemed satisfied, turned and walked towards the exit.

As I followed Jacob through the sliding doors and out into the open air, I thought about Alice. Should I call her? I didn't even know how to contact her. After I left Forks half way through seventh grade we had written letters for a few months but without the convenience of email back then it had soon waned and we lost contact. I missed Alice. We had been best friends straight away. We balanced each other out perfectly. Alice was like a firework, bright, bubbly and always in hyper mode. I was more calm and reserved. I pictured her how I remembered her as a 12 year old, short, skinny with long dark hair that she always had tied up because it annoyed her but her mother Esme wouldn't let her cut it. Alice always had a smile on her face, well almost always. As the baby of the family Alice had a rough time being picked on by her two older brothers, Emmett and Edward. A shiver ran down my spine. Just thinking about Edward made me feel a little sick. Edward was 2 years older than Alice and hated me. Alice always tried to deny it but how else could I explain how he treated me. On an almost daily basis Emmett and Edward would go out of their way to pick on me.

The boys would play one of many random pranks on me and would laugh, or tease me about any and everything they could think of. Edward was worse by far. Emmett would always laugh and then move on to something else but Edward took pleasure in my discomfort. He would go out of his way to be especially mean and would smile victoriously if I became upset. I remember the exact day that I realised that Edward hated me.

_Sixth grade. Alice and I were standing outside school waiting for her bus to take her home. I new Renee would pick me up from school and had offered Alice a lift but she said she better go with Emmett and Edward or Esme would worry. As the bus pulled up, a line of kids fought to be the first on the bus to get to the coveted back seat. I looked over and saw Emmett and Edward at the head of the line. 'Typical' I thought. Edward turned, looked at me and gave me an evil grin. For a moment I had thought he was just smiling at me and I was taken back by his good looks. As much as I hated Edward, I couldn't deny he was cute; bronze hair that never looked tidy, startling green eyes and chiselled features. Even though he was only 13, it was easy to see he was going to be a handsome man. _

_I did a double take at his smile and then noticed that evil glint in his eye and I became instantly nervous. I was suddenly glad I wasn't going to Alice's house after school today. The doors of the bus opened and the kids pushed and shoved as they piled in, I relaxed a little knowing that Edward was safely inside the bus and away from me. Alice hugged me and headed towards the doors. She knew she didn't need to push in as Emmett always saved her a seat. Alice climbed the stairs of the bus more gracefully than should be possible for a normal 11 years old girl and with the hiss of the doors closing I turned away to walk to the parking lot to meet my mom. _

"_Hey Bella," I heard a silky voice call out to me and I saw Edward leaning out of the bus window waving. Again I paused thinking he was being friendly. Just then I felt a cold SPLAT on the top of my head and the strong smell of strawberry. The cold, sticky fluid ran down my face. I was so shocked that I didn't even have time to yell or make a rude hand gesture before the bus pulled away. All I saw was Edward laughing like a crazy person and the stunned and furious look of Alice and she stared at me helplessly through the window. My brain had taken a few minutes to compute what had transpired. As the bus turned the corner at the end of the street and was out of sight I realised what had happened. Edward had thrown a full, open tub of strawberry yoghurt at me from the bus. _

_Before I could stop them, tears started to run down my cheeks. I was furious but also more embarrassed than I ever had been in my life as a group of seventh grade girls walked past pointing and giggling._

I pulled myself out of the memory. I was past the miseries of my childhood now, I was independent and a successful writer who had been _requested_ to come and lecture at the University of Washington. True it was only a sessional contract and I would only be taking one subject but still it was an honour to be asked to teach.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

4:30pm. I guess it was safe to head to the hotel now. Charlie would be here soon and by the time I checked in, got to my room and took my time unpacking Jacob wouldn't have much time to try anything. I was trying not to judge Jacob too harshly, he had after all driven all the way to Seattle to pick me up and he had been nothing but friendly, just a bit friendlier than was comfortable.

The hotel was nice, right in town which was convenient and close to the space needle so I had lovely view. Jacob had tried to convince me to go to the top of the space needle with him but I knew that the romantic setting was not something I wanted to encourage him with so I politely declined saying I was tired from the flight. As I was hanging my clothes in the closet of my room I heard a knock on the door, Charlie. Jacob was lazing on my bed, head resting in his hands, he looked very relaxed……on my bed where I was to be sleeping the next few nights. _Great._

I opened the door and was accosted into my second bear hug of the day.

"Bells!! It's so good to see you kiddo."

"You too, dad!" Unlike when I greeted Jacob, I was genuinely happy to see Charlie. Since my parents divorced 15 years ago, I had only seen Charlie a few weeks every summer holiday and each of those times, he had come to me in Phoenix.

Charlie, Jacob and I had dinner at a lovely seafood restaurant in town and after more hugs and a promise to come to Forks one weekend a month. I was alone in my hotel room. I sat down, alone for the first time since arriving in Seattle and thought about the enormity of what I was doing moving here.

I decided that I wouldn't waste any time and that tomorrow morning, I would start my apartment search. I changed into my favourite Dartmouth sweat suit and crawled into what could possibly be the most comfortable bed I had ever laid in, no wonder Jacob made himself so at home on this bed. My last thoughts before I drifted to sleep were of going to the reception desk tomorrow and asking where they got their beds…..I need a new bed for my apartment after all.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The next morning I woke with a start unsure where I was. One look out the window at the grey storm clouds reminded me in an instant – Seattle. Remembering my plan for the day I got up and showered, wiping the steam from the mirror, I looked at myself. I sighed internally. I had never thought I was beautiful, I took in my plain brown hair as it hung lifelessly around my shoulders in a frizzy mess. I run a brush through my hair in an attempt to look like a normal human being but eventually gave up and pulled it back into a low ponytail leaving it to curl down my back. I considered putting on some makeup but decided against it as I would probably spend the majority of the day walking through dusty apartments and in the rain. I dressed casually in jeans, a royal blue tee shirt and my much worn in converse, I noticed that the area where my big toe sat on my left foot was starting to fray. _Great I need new shoes._ Grabbing a coat on my way out the door I decided to find the first Starbucks and stop for breakfast before my search began.

I stepped out of the front doors of the hotel and immediately stepped into a large puddle. The icy water soaked straight through the canvas material of my shoe and sock and my foot froze instantly. _Great start Bella,_ I thought angrily. While I was muttering to myself how stupid I was, I didn't notice the parking meter and walked straight into it. Not just a small bump either but smack damn right into the pole and it startled me so much that I fell backwards cracking my butt on the concrete and hitting my head on the car parked behind me. Of course, as is my luck, the car alarm started shrieking at top volume causing my already sore head to hurt even more and every person in a 3 country radius to stop and stare at me.

The door man from my hotel came running up.

"Ms. Swan, are you ok? That was a hard fall," the young guy asked. I looked into his face and he looked genuinely concerned.

"Yes, I'm fine. Nothing I'm not used to anyway," I sighed.

"I'm going to call a taxi to take you to the ER. You hit your head pretty hard."

Before I could protest he had pulled a cell phone out of his pocket and was on the phone. I attempted to stand and almost fell again from a dizzy spell and thought maybe it was smart to go to the hospital just to be sure.

_It's inevitable that I'll end up in the ER eventually. I just wished that it wasn't on my first day here. _

Soon a taxi pulled up and the doorman helped me in and told the driver to take me to the ER. The driver gave me a questioning look like I was going to die in the back of his car. I tried to give him a reassuring smile, but I was starting to feel a little light headed so it may have come across as a nauseous grimace. Regardless, we were soon at the doors of the ER and I walked into the hospital.

My first thought was that no matter where I was all hospitals smelled and looked the same. I walked up to the admission desk and was greeted by a sour looking nurse. At first glance she was beautiful, long strawberry blonde hair twisted up on top of her head and facial features that a model would kill for. However, there was a chill in her blue eyes which made her unattractive.

"Yes?" she asked.

"Oh, um hi... my name is Isabella Swan. I just had a fall and hit my head pretty bad. Oh…and my butt," I blushed a little as I added the last part.

The nurse, her name badge said Tanya, took down my details and told me to take a seat. I sat on one of the uncomfortable waiting room chairs and picked up a magazine off the pile. Of course it was way out date. I was really getting into a story about Tom Cruise jumping on Oprah's couch and declaring his love for Katie Holmes when I noticed one of the doctors walk in. I could only see the back of his head but I had a great view of his ass. And what an ass it was. His black pants hung perfectly off his hips and a felt myself staring quite obviously. I blushed again and looked around but no-one appeared to have noticed my drooling. It wasn't very often that I found a guy this attractive. I of course noticed guys, but I never really bothered to look at them. I never believed I stood a chance with a really hot guy.

I had had three relationships in my 27 years. The first being in high school and that was with a guy called Ben. He had taken my virginity after Junior Prom and it was a horrible experience. I mean the sex was ok, but it was like being with my brother. We both soon agreed that were just good friends and I was delighted when Ben started dating my good friend, Angela. They made a great couple. My second relationship lasted through three years of college, his name was Rob and I loved him dearly. Spring vacation of my junior year of college I found Rob in bed with some freshman slut and I never spoke to him again. I stayed away from guys for a while after Rob, but last year had fallen for a guy called James. He turned out to be a bigger jerk than Rob had. I never caught him in the act but the girl he was seeing behind my back called me to tell me that they were dating and that he wanted to be with her and he didn't know how to break up with me so she was doing it for him. _Loser. Grow some balls. _

The gorgeous, bitchy nurse from the front desk walked over to the doctor (I'm sure she thought she looked sexy but it actually looked a bit like a duck's waddle) and put her arms around his waist and whispered in his ear. I saw him stiffen and push her away gently. He said something back to her which I couldn't make out. She pouted (again I think she was going for sexy/coy but it looked more like a pig's snout). He leant down and kissed her cheek stiffly and said something else which appeared to appease her because she smiled and walked (duck waddled) back to her desk. The doctor turned to the side and I saw his profile. He looked down at the chart in his hand, did a double take, read the name again and looked around the waiting area looking for someone. Now I could see his whole face.

Of course. Not only did he have the ass of a greek god but also the face of an angel. His sculpted features and chiselled jaw were like those of….well I don't know what actually. I had never seen such an attractive man in my life. His hair was messy and looked like it was over due for a hair cut; it looked like he had just crawled out of bed. As I was looking at his hair, he ran his fingers roughly through it. I brought my eyes down to look into his eyes. I was struck with the clear green pools that were staring back right at me. _What?? Staring at me? _He must think I look like someone he knows. Actually, he looked kind of familiar to me too, I couldn't place where I new him from but he did look familiar.

Then a huge smile broke out across his face as he walked towards me and I recognised him instantly. How had I not realised it was him??? _Because you were too busy perving on him, you dirty perv girl_. I told myself.

"Well, well well. Bella Swan, look at you," he said jokingly.

_Edward Cullen – shit._

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Please review and let me know what you think!!


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